Python Print Without New Line: What You Need to Know

Print Without New Line: Python 2 vs. Python 3

To ensure you print the output without adding a new line, you can use the end parameter or other methods to override the default behavior of the print() function. 

Using the end parameter in Python 3

In Python version 3, you should include the end parameter in each print() function call to print without adding a new line. If you set the end parameter to an empty string, the output continues on the same line, as shown in the example below.

You can also set the end parameter to a different character or string. The example below demonstrates how to modify the end parameter in multiple print() calls to control how the output is formatted.

# Print without newline
print("Hello ", end="World!")
print(" Learn DataCamp Python tutorial.")

Hello World! Learn DataCamp Python tutorial.

The following example illustrates using the end parameter with an empty string to print a progress update without a new line. In this example, \r returns the cursor to the beginning of the line, allowing the output to update in place.

 # Import the time module, which provides time-related functions like sleep()
import time
# Loop over a range of numbers from 1 to 5 (inclusive)
for i in range(1, 6):
    # Print a loading message with a percentage that updates on the same line
    print(f"\rLoading... {i*20}%", end="")
    # Pause the execution for 1 second to simulate a loading delay
    time.sleep(1)
print("\nDone!")

Loading... 20%
Loading... 40%
Loading... 60%
Loading... 80%
Loading... 100%
Done!

When you run the above code in a Python environment, you will note that the loading percentage will update every second on the same line, creating a simple progress indicator. Check out our Writing Functions in Python if you need some help with writing functions, like the one in the example above.

Exploring new line behavior in Python 2

In Python 2, the print statement is different and adds a new line by default. You can add a comma at the end of the print statement to print without a new line.

# Print without newline
print "Hello",
print "World"

Hello World

The downside of this method is that extra space is added between the printed items, unlike in Python 3, where you can control the characters to be appended in the output.

Other Python Techniques for Printing Without New Line

Python offers some advanced methods for printing without a new line. These methods are mainly used to control the output for complex printing.

Combining the end and sep parameters

The end and sep parameters can be used together for more complex formatting. In such scenarios, the sep parameter usually controls how multiple items are separated when passed to the print() function. The example below separates the different strings by a comma using the sep parameter.

# Print without newline
print("Hello", "World", sep=", ", end="!")

Hello, World!

Combining the end and sep parameters is beneficial in scenarios such as formatting tabular data or creating progress indicators for improved user experience by improving data presentation.

Using the sys module

The sys.stdout.write() function from the sys module offers a method to print without automatically appending a new line. This printing method is usually important where precise output control is needed, such as designing progress indicators and displaying real-time logging.

The example below shows how to print without a new line using the sys module. Note that we have used the sys.stdout.flush() function to manually flush the output buffer to ensure the text is displayed immediately. This approach is important for displaying loops and real-time applications.

# Import the sys module
import sys
# Print without new line
sys.stdout.write("Hello, ")
sys.stdout.write("World!")
sys.stdout.flush()

Hello, World!

String concatenation as an alternative approach

String concatenation can also be used to join multiple outputs before printing, avoiding the need for multiple print() statements and ensuring that no new line is added between outputs. The example below shows this method of string concatenation to print output in a single statement.

# Print without new line using string concatenation
output = "Hello" + " " + "World." + " Learn Python."
print(output)

Hello World. Learn Python.

Conclusion

Printing without a new line is useful for displaying output in a single continuous line. Depending on your Python version, Python offers different printing methods without adding a new line.

If you are looking to improve your Python skills, I recommend taking DataCamp’s Python Toolbox course, which teaches iterators and loops, which was hinted at in this article. Our Python Developer and Data Analyst with Python career tracks will help you stay current as you build practical, job-related skills as a data scientist or analyst.